An Affordable Girls’ Weekend You Will Never Forget!

bySurvival Insight onJuly 14, 2013

Time away with other women is an important and special thing for many women, and a yearly girls’ weekend is something plenty of women plan for relaxation and girls-only fun. While some girls’ groups might not have to worry about cost, most women planning a getaway weekend are on a budget.

With families and bills to think about, women still need to get away – but without spending too much money. How can you plan the perfect relaxing girls’ weekend affordably? It’s easy with these simple tips for an affordable girls’ weekend everyone will love.

Girls’ Weekend Getaway – Where to Go

If all of the women attending your girls weekend live in the same area, plan the trip somewhere nearby to save on travel costs. Even a hotel in your home city can be a real vacation when you get away from the housework and demands of home and office for a while! Look for a hotel that also has a spa, and find out what kind of package deals they offer. Many spa hotels and resorts have a girls weekend package that can save you a lot of money on a relaxing, pampered weekend of fun.

If the women on your guest list are scattered in various locations, choose a central location where everyone can either drive or fly for a reasonable price. That way no one is paying a lot more than the others for the trip, and everyone can attend. Surprisingly, some of the trendier destinations can actually be highly affordable. Las Vegas, for example, can be easy to reach on a discount airfare simply because so many people travel there. Locations with fewer flights coming and going may be more expensive. Look for hotels that are slightly out of the way and not right in the heart of things. They will have much better rates, and be more peaceful as well.

Girls’ Weekend Getaway – Accommodations

A great way to save on accommodations is to look for a vacation rental for your girls’ weekend. A large home with enough bedrooms for all can be found that will cost a fraction of the price of hotel rooms when split among several women. Plus you will have a kitchen, relaxing living space, and if you shop around you can find places with hot tubs, pools and more. Cooking your own meals in a vacation rental home can save tons of money on eating out.

Search the internet for deals and girls’ weekend ideas. Check out sites like www.girlaway.com to find the latest deals. Visit websites of large hotel chains to see what kind of girls’ weekend getaway packages they offer. They may include food, wine, spa services and more in their package deal, and it can save a great deal of money over paying for everything separately.

If one of the girls on your list has a large home and no children or spouse, consider asking her to host. With no cost for accommodations, you can enjoy heading out on the town or doing some shopping together with all the extra money! Just remember that if someone does host, everyone should be sure to help out with cleaning up after the gathering.

Girls’ Weekend – Group Packages

Group packages for things like manicures and pedicures at salons and spas can save you a lot of money, so call around and try to book everyone in at the same time. Showing up with a large group of women for pedicures may find most of you waiting around since the spa may not be prepared to have so many people show up at once. Reserve ahead of time, you will save money and ensure everyone gets in.

Girls’ Weekend – Food & Drink

If you decide on a home or vacation rental, have everyone bring one bottle of wine and one dish to share (if they can and are not flying!). This will cover food and drink and keep everyone relaxed and out of the kitchen on their weekend away! Easy dishes like casseroles are the best bet and can be quickly heated up and shared with large groups.

Girls’ Weekend – How to Save Money

One of the best ways to make your girls’ weekend affordable is to avoid have a girls’ weekend at all – consider a trip mid-week instead. Although it may be more complicated and require some time off from work, you can save a great deal of money by travelling during the week rather than on the weekend. Hotel rates are often slashed by half, and airfares during the week are much cheaper as well. The overall cost of your trip will be a lot lower – well worth taking a few vacation days from the office.

If a weekend is the only option, try to plan your trip in the off season for your destination. High season rates are higher for both hotels and airfare. You might find an offseason package deal that will cost considerably less than had you travelled a few months earlier or later. In most locations, fall and early spring are off season dates. They are also a great time to get away without interfering with any family events or vacations you might have planned.

It can be difficult to plan a trip at a time when everyone can make it, so do your best to plan according to everyone’s schedule while keeping in mind the most affordable time to travel. In some cases, creating a pool of money where everyone pays the same amount can offset the cost of those whose travel costs are higher due to being further from the destination or having fewer flight options. Ask your group of women if they mind splitting the overall cost of travel and accommodations evenly in order to make the trip affordable for everyone.

A girls’ weekend is a much needed time for women to step out of their busy lives and find a bit of much needed relaxation and rejuvenation time. With a little bit of careful planning and willingness to compromise, you can plan a great and affordable girls’ weekend that will be a wonderful experience for everyone. Just shop around, plan ahead, and get ready to relax and enjoy valuable time with the women in your life!